Improvement in barbed fences



2 Sheets-Sheet. 1. W WARDEN. Barbed-Fence.

Patented Feb. 5,1878.

NPETERS, PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTONUD c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. WARDEN.

Barbed-Fence.

N0.199,947. Patented Feb. 5,1878. 2 2 iZyrJ I m Z /ZZ Hnneniur jittumegsN.PETER5, PHOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. 0 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WARDEN, OF MINNESOTA JUNCTION, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARBED FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,947, dated February5, 1878; application filed September 27, 1877.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WARDEN, of Minnesota Junction, in the countyof Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Portable Metallic Panel-Fences and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification, in which Figure I is aperspective view of my improved fence. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of oneof the fence-posts. Fig. 3 represents, in perspective, several varietiesof panel-fastenings. Fig. 4 is a top view of one of the posts. y I

This invention has relation to the novel construction of a portablemetallic farm-fence, and has been designed with the object of providinga fence which shall, in a pro-eminent degree, possess the importantcharacteristics of strength, lightness, durability, and cheapness, andwhich shall have as essential qualities convenient and thoroughportability, adapting it to every farm, garden, or land requirement, andshall be so constructed as to constitute, when applied to its legitimateuses, a complete and efl'ective barrier against the passage of confinedor excluded live stock of every description.

In many sections of the country, and more particularly in thehighly-cultivated portions of the western prairie-land, the steady andrapid decrease of the timber growth and supply has rendered it almost anabsolute necessity to provide, for fencing purposes, a substitute forwood. 7

The requirements of such a substitute are that it shallbe equal inpoints of strength, durability, and convenience to the better class ofwooden fences, and at the same time be less expensive in its manufactureand erection.

Itis also necessary that such a substitute shall embody suchimprovements in its general construction as are demanded by the improvedsystems in use in farming and stock-raising. Among the variousrequirements are, chiefly, portability whereby the fence may be readilyand quickly transferred from one portion of a farm to another, so as asto inclose particular or temporary pasture sections located in theimmediate vicinity of cultivated portions, and security against theingress and egress of stock.

' The object of my invention is to meet fully all the requirementsusually felt, especially those above referred to; and to this end myinvention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, A Adesignate the fence-posts, constituting, as constructed, an essentialelement of my improvements. These posts are made of wrought-iron, rolledto their proper form. These posts are what is termed angle-iron, beingL-shaped in crosssection, whereby they are given the greatest strengthand selfsupporting capabilities attainable with a small amount of metal.

When inserted in the ground, each post presents to the earth fourdistinct sides or surfaces, and includes between the walls forming theangle a sufficiency of clay or other foundation material to give thepost a very rigid purchase and support. From the point a, at which thepost meets the surface, the walls thereof taper or converge at theiredges to their lower ends, so as to facilitate insertion and removal,while, in order to obtain a better hold in the ground when inserted,.theinner surfaces of the walls below the point a may diverge slightlytoward the lower end. The upper portion of the post and the wallsdiminish also toward the upper end, in order to obtain lightness, and toleave the greatest thickness at the base, where itis most required. Eachpost terminates at the top in a (liminished stud or standard, a, for thereception of the upper horizontal bars of the panels which it supports.

In arranging the posts, they are placed, respectively, with the outersurface of one wall on the line of the fence and the outer surface ofthe other, of course, at a right angle thereto. sponds with the lengthof the panels.

B designates the panels, of which I) b are the upper and lowerhorizontal bars, made of The distance apart of the postscorrestrap-iron, having saw-tooth edges to form guards, which aresubstitutes for the ordinary wirefence barbs I). The upper bar ispierced near its ends to fit upon the posts over the studs or standardsa. Upon these studs or standards the panels may be turned,raised,

and lowered, or placed at any angle to adapt the fence to theinequalities of surface, and to its erection with the panels disposed atvarious relative positions and angles.

Instead of being pierced near their ends, the lower horizontal bars arecut away, as shown at 2: so as to fit against the posts, and allowsufficient play to let the panel rise and fall on uneven surfaces.

The bars b b are connected together by the vertical bars 0, of similarmaterial. The ends of bars 0 are tenoned, slit, and passed through slotsin the toothed bars, and are clinched, as shown, the nibs formed byslitting being bent in opposite directions, respectively, as indicatedatd cl, so as to make a rigid fastening. Any other method of fasteningmay, however, be adopted. A center post, (1 of suitable strength, bracesand supports the horizontal bars midway between the vertical bars.

E designates the horizontal wires, barbed or not, as desired. They arestretched between the two vertical bars, and fastened at their endsthereto by being inserted through holes 0 and bent or twisted, as shown,or in any other suitable manner.

To add strength to the panel, I connect the two horizontal bars by thediagonal braces or wires f, extending from near the ends of the upperbar to near the middle part of the lower bar, and fastened to said barsby being inserted through holes and twisted or bent, as desired.

When arranged to form a line of fence, the panels overlap at their ends.or stud on top of one post receives the adja cent ends of two of the topbars. A fastening is then required for the lower bars.

I have contrived various devices for this purpose, and, without limitingmyself to any specific fastening, would suggest as useful theloopsorhooksillustrated. Iftheringgbeused, it will be slipped over thepost, and brought down so as to embrace the two ends of the lowerhorizontal bar and the adjacent portion of the post, and then presseddown at the back until it springs into a notch, g, in the back of thepost.

When the single or double tined hook is used, and it is the better formof the two, it maybe put on after the panels are in position. The hookportions will fall down between the teeth of the bars, after which thebend will be pressed down behind and sprung into the notch.

ln an application of even date herewith I include as one of theessential elements an angle-iron post having slots for the passage ofstaples to securethe horizontal wires. V

The standard Without claiming such a post in this application, I mayremark that a slotted post may be used interchangeably for wire andpanels, and such a post will be found to possess many advantages.

I have described the top and bottom horizontal bars of the panels asbeing provided with saw-tooth or serrated edges. A part of these teethon the upper bar should be bent upwardly to prevent live stock frompressing upon the panels, while a part of the teeth on the lower barsshould be bent downward to prevent small-sized stock from crawlingunder.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A fence-panel having stock-guards made ofsheet metal, with saw-tooth or serrated edges, and arranged inhorizontal planes at the top and bottom of the fence, the upper barhaving teeth bent upwardly, and the bottom bar having teeth bentdownwardly, so as to prevent the passage of stock over or under thefence, as described.

2. A portable metallic fence-panel-having the top and bottom bars, bywhich the parts of the panel are held together and supported, made ofsheet metal arranged in horizontal planes, and formed, either orboth,with toothed or serrated edges to constitute stock-guards, as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination of the horizontal sheetmetal bars 1) 0 verticalconnections 0 c, and horizontal wires 0 c, constituting the essentialfeatures of a portable metallic fence-panel, substantially as described.

4. Aportable metallic fence-panel composed, essentially, of top andbottom horizontal bars of sheet metal, vertical uniting-bars of similarmaterial, and horizontal wires, said horizontal bars having serrated orsaw-tooth edges, and the wires being attached at their ends to thevertical bars, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the horizontal sheet-metal slotted bars of theportable panel, of the vertical sheet-metal connecting-bars, attached tosaid horizontal bars by slitting and clinching their ends, substantiallyas described.

6. The combination, in a portable metallic fence-panel, of thehorizontal bars, having toothed or serrated edges, the verticalconnecting-bars of sheet metal, the central vertical supporting-rod, andthe horizontal wires, and diagonal wire braces, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I \VIIJLIAM VARDEN.

Witnesses T. A. OoNNoLLY, J. B. OoNNoLLY.

